Improvement in flour-dressing machines



` 2 Sheets--Sheet1. G. T. SMITH.

Flour-Dressing Machine.

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THE GRAPHIC CO.PHOT0 wLITI'L39 i4-1 PARK PLACE, N.Y.

- zsheefs--shee'z G. T. SMITH. Flour-Dressing Machine.

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THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0 -L|TH.39&4I PARK PLACE,N.Y.

yeEoEerE T. SMITH, oE/MINNEAroLrs, MINNEsoTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLOUR-DRESSING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 64,050', dated June1, 1875 application filed July 12, 1871i To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. SMITH, of Minneapolis, county of Hennepinand State of Minnesota, have invented a Machine for Dressing FlourandMiddlings, of which the following is a specification:

In the drawings, Figure 1 isja top-plan view of a machine embodying myinvention, with a portion of the top of the air-flue removed. Fig. 2 isavertical transverse section, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinalsection.

Similarl letters of reference indicate like parts in all ofthe figures.

When wheat or other grain is ground for flour, especially when it isground close or low,7 more or less of the outer husk or skin of thekernel is made so fine that it is difficult to separate it from theflour by the ordinary methods of bolting. This is particularly the casewith spring-wheat, in which the bran is very dark-colored and specks theflour badly.

rThese small particles of bran are light and can be removed from themiddlings during the bolting process by means of a current of air,although they are so small that under ordinary circumstances they willpass through the meshes of the bolt-cloth.

With the common method of bolting there is a large loss of Ilour arisingfrom the difficulty above referred to, as with the utmost care a certainproportion is left with the line bran commonly called caneli With a viewto effecting a more thorough separation of the bran and tine specks fromthe flour, I have made this invention, which consists in combining inamachine for dressing flour or middlings a bolting-surface lor shaker,through which an air current or currents pass in one direction, whilethe tlour or other material passes through in an opposite direction,with a brush or a series of brushes arranged to traverse the under sideof the bolting-surface, to free the cloth of the adhering line particlesof material.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I will now proceed todescribe a ma chine which I have invented for carrying it intooperation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represcnts a hopper, into which thematerial to be bolted is delivered from an elevator or by any othermeans. The material is fed by the roller B to the bolt b, the amount offeed being regulated by the slide c. a chamber, through which a currentof air is made to pass by means of a fan,'D, the air entering throughsuitable openings C in the side of the bolt-chest, the construction andarrangement of parts being such that the air is com-- As there is acontinual current of air in anl upward direction through the bolt, itwill cause the very ne particles of ilour and middlings to adhere to thethread of which the cloth is composed, and close up the meshes to suchan extent as to interfere materially with the operation of the device.

In order to obviate this objection and maintain a free passage of theair and middlings, I employ brushes totraverse the under side of thecloth and keep it clean. H H are the brushes attached to and carried byendless belts h, the brushes being supported upon ways It k during theircontact with the bolt.

By preference, I make the frame-work and ways which support the brushesadjustable by means of set-screws b', (see Fig. 2,) so that I can keepthe brushes always in contact with the bolt.

It is evident that the brushes would act up on the bolt equally well ifthey had a reciprocating motion, instead of being' driven continuouslyin one direction by the endless belts or chains, although I regard themethod shown for operating them as being the cheapest and mostconvenient, and also better adapted for doing the work. I am aware thata combination of brushe and air-currents has been used in connectionwith flour-bolts for many years; but in such machines the air-currentpassed through the bolting-surface with the flour; hence it could Thebolt is arranged in not, by any possibility, be made to perform the samefunctions as it does in my machine, one of which is to oat a portion ofthe bran and refuse upon or above the boltng-surfaee, and thus causesuch particles to pass oft' at the tail of the bolt, instead of goingthrough the cloth with the flour or clean middlings. v

I do not in this application claim the chains, belts, or bands whichcarry the brushes, nor the rollers which drive the same 5 nor thearrangement of the sectional air-chamber above the shaker, nor any ofthe other fea tures shown or described, except the invention which isdistinctly claimed herein,it being my intention to limit thisapplication to the combination of elements recited in the claim, re-

serving to myself the right to claim all other

